§ Mr. Ron Daviesasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, under part III of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985, he intends to institute a system of licensing for agricultural contractors for the application of pesticides.
§ Mrs. FennerI am concerned to ensure that all who apply pesticides on a commercial scale should be appropriately trained in their effective use and in the necessary safeguards for health and the environment.
My Department has therefore proposed, in the consultative document "Pesticides: Implementing Part III of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985", that there should be a general obligation on all who use pesticides in the course of their business to ensure that they and their employees have received adequate instruction and guidance; and a specific obligation
on those whose business is the application of pesticides as a commercial service, that they and their employees involved in the use of pesticides attend an approved training course and obtain certification that they have reached the appropriate standard".My officials are consulting a range of public agencies and industry representatives on the implementation of this proposal.
§ Mr. Ron Daviesasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which agency will monitor and provide inspectors for the implementation and enforcement of part III of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 in England and Wales; and if he will indicate by region and by county how many extra inspectors will be provided.
§ Mrs. FennerI refer the hon. Member to chapter 9 of the consultative document "Pesticides: Implementing Part III of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985", where we have proposed that a number of different agencies should be responsible for enforcement. The deployment of their resources is a matter for the agencies involved, and I am therefore unable to give the detail requested.